Pitching horseshoes



Nov. 7, 1933. J. A. GORDON PITCHING HORSESHOES Filed May 1951 Patented Nov. 7, I933 UiilTEl) Price,

9 Claims.

This invention has to do with pitching horseshoes such as are commonly used in the game of quoits, this application being a continuation in part of one filed by me under date of February I l, 1930, Serial Number 425,199.

As is well known, in the game of horseshoe pitching, or quoits, the player pitches the shoe onto a cylindric stake located at some distance, it being the purpose to ring the stake with the shoe. To accomplish that purpose, the player throws and manipulates the shoe in such a manner that when the shoe reaches the stake, the open or heel end of the shoe will be directed toward the stake, thus making it possible for the shoe to ring the stake. Forward motion of the shoe is of course arrested when the closed or toe end of the shoe contacts with the stake.

It often happens, however, that the shoe first contacts with the stake along one of its inner sides rather than centrally of the'toe portion, which tends to set up a spinning motion, causing the shoe to spin around and off the stake, causing loss of the ringer. It thus becomes highly desirable to arrest this spinning action or its result of throwing the shoe off the stake, and in my invention I have provided a simple yet highly effective means for accomplishing that purpose. I have also provided means tending to hold the shoe in a horizontal position during any spinning action, thus tending to prevent that tilting or twisting motion of the shoe which often causes loss of a ringer.

Other advantages and objects of my invention will become obvious from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, for which purpose reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a shoe embodying my invention, the shoe being in inverted position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the toe portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the heel ends of Fig. l as viewed from the left; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of one of the heel portions of Fig. 1.

In connecton with Figs. 2, 3 and 4 I illustrate a circular cross-section stake of the type commonly employed in the game of horseshoe pitching, this stake being designated by the letter S.

In the drawing I illustrate a pitching horseshoe having a toe end 10, toe calk 11, sides 12 and heel ends 13 and 13a; the shoe preferably being formed of drop forged steel.

Centrally of the inner toe edge I provide a curved recess 15 of a depth about one-third the width of the toe portion and of a width slightly greater than the diameter of stake S; preferably, as shown, about one and one-quarter the stake diameter. Assuming stake S to be oneinch in diameter, I preferto make recess 15 I about one and one-quarter inches in width. The

inner corner walls 16 and 16a ofthe recess are allel. By thus forming recess 15, relatively sharp outer corners or shoulders 18 and 180. are presented, against which stake S abuts when any spinning action is set up by the shoe striking the stake (see Fig. 2). For instance assume that the shoe strikes the stake at the point indicated A on the shoe (Fig. 1). The shoe will ride around the stake until the stake enters recess 15; Recess back wall 17 will next strike the stake and the shoe will have a tendency to spin on the stake in a counter-clockwise direction. Due to the curvature radius of recess wall-16a being less than that of the stake, however; the stake will abut the sharp shoulder 18a, (instead of sliding out of the recess as would be the case if the radii were the same) and thus the spin will be substantially arrested, will be held on the stake until spinning ceases, and the shoe will drop to the bottom of the stake a ringer.

The heel portions of the shoe curve abruptly inwardly atthe ends, forming inward projections 20 and 20a. Said projections extend inwardly 9 toward each other adistance less than the width ofthe shoe sides adjacent the heels and each has an inner face 26 substantially perpendicular to the plane and longitudinal axis of the shoe. The radius of curvature at the point 21 at which 9 the heels curve inwardly is substantially smaller than the curvature radius of the stake S, so that ends 22 and 22a of projection 20 and 20a present shoulders or abutments which bear upon the stake in like manner as do shoulders 18 and 18a 0 of recess 15, providing additional spin breaks in case the shoe should spin or move around on the stake to a point where the heel ends are in contact with the stake.

Onthe under side ofeach of the heels, and I here refer to the entire width of the heel portions including inward projections 20 and 20a, I provide a depending lug or calk, 25 and 25a, each of which lugs presents an inner face 26a the plane of which is the same as face 26, that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe, and the longitudinal axis of the shoe, and an outer or opposite face 27 which tapers outwardly from the bottom of the lug towards the heel end. Thus as the shoe spins on the stake, a substantially broad vertical surface (faces 26 and 26a) contacts with the stake and tends to retain the shoe in a horizontal position until the spin is arrested and the shoe drops to the bottom of the stake.

Vertical faces 25a also perform the further function, together with toe calk 11, which has a vertical outer and a tapering inner face, of presenting effective resistance to any rebounding action of the shoe after it strikes the ground; while the tapered calk faces 27 and the tapered inner face of call: 11 permit free forward sliding motion of the shoe on the ground.

While I have resorted to particular details "to describe one embodiment of my invention, I wish it understood that many variations and embodiments may be made without departing from its scope as defined in the following claims.

I claim:--

1. In a pitching shoe having inner and outer edges and toe and heel ends and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular crosssection; a recess in the inner edge of the shoe at the toe, said recess being of a width greater than the diameter of the stake and having a back wall of a substantially greater curvature radius and back corner walls of a substantially less curvature radius than the curvature radius of the stake and having relatively sharp corners at the front of its end walls.

'2. In a pitching'shoe having inner and outer edges and toe and heel ends and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular crosssection; a recess in the inner edge of the shoe at the toe, said recess being of a width greater than the diameter of the stake and having a back wall of a substantially greater curvature radius and back corner walls of a substantially less curvature radius than the curvature radius of the stake and having relatively sharp corners at the front of its end walls; the heel ends of said shoe projecting laterally inwardly toward each other.

3. In a pitching shoe having inner and outer edges and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular cross-section; a recess in the inner edge of the shoe, said recess being of greaterwidth than the diameter of the stake and having end walls substantially parallel.

4. In a pitching shoe having inner and outer edges and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular cross-section; a recess in the inner edge of the shoe, said recess being of greater width than the diameter of the stake and having end walls substantially parallel; and having relatively sharp corners at the front of its end walls.

5. In a pitching shoe having inner andouter edges and toe and heel ends and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular crosssection; a recess in the inner edge of the toe end, said recess being of greater width than the diameter of the stake and having end walls substantially parallel and relatively sharp corners at the front of its end walls; the heel ends of said shoe projecting laterally inwardly toward each other. I r

6. In a pitching shoe having inner and outer edges and toe and heel ends and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular crosssection; a recess in the inner edge of the toe end,

said recess being of greater width than the diameter of the stake and having end walls substantially parallel; said heel ends projecting laterally inwardly toward each other and each hav ing a depending lug on its under side, each of which depending lugs and inward heel projections presents an inner face perpendicular to the plane of the shoe.

7. In a pitching shoe having inner and outer edges and toe and heel ends; and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular crosssection; said heel ends curving abruptly inwardly and each having a depending lug on its under side, each of which lugs presents an inner face perpendicular to the plane of the shoe, and a recess in the inner toe edge, said recess being of a width greater than the diameter of the stake and having a back wall of substantially greater curvature radius and back corner walls of substantially less curvature radius than the curvature radius of the stake.

8. In a pitching shoe having inner and outer edges and toe and heel ends; and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular crosssection; said heel ends curving abruptly inwardly and each having a depending lug on its' under side, each of which lugs presents a vertical inner face adapted to contact the stake throughout the vertical extent of said face; a recess in the inner toe edge, said recess being of a width greater than the diameter of the stake and back wall of radius and back corner walls of substantially less curvatureradius than the curvature radius of the stake} having a substantially greater curvature 9. In-a pitching shoe having inner and outer edges and toe and heel ends and adapted to be pitched onto and ring a stake of circular crosssection; said heel ends curving inwardly toward each other at a curvature radius smallerthan that of the stake and each having a depending lug on its under side, each an elongate inner face perpendicular to the plane of the shoe; a recess in the inner toe edge, said recess being of a width greater than the diameter of the stake and having a back wall of substantially greater curvature radius back corner walls of substantially less curvature the curvature radius of the stake.

JOHN A. GORDON.

radius than of which lugs presents 

